Uncategorized

U.S. Trade Representative Calls Out EU GI Abuses and Impacts on U.S. Exporters

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The Consortium for Common Food Names (CCFN), National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) and U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) today commended Ambassador Katherine Tai and U.S. Trade Representative Office staff, as well as the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other administration partners, for reaffirming in its Special 301 Report the U.S. government’s commitment to tackling continued European Union (EU) misuse of legitimate geographical indications (GI) protections.

USTR’s Special 301 Report, an annual publication tallying global challenges pertaining to intellectual property issues, called out the EU’s policy of blocking fair competition through the pursuit of geographical indications restricting the use of common food and beverage terms, which erect barriers to trade in products relying on common food names. “As part of its trade agreement negotiations, the EU pressures trading partners to prevent all producers, other than in certain EU regions, from using certain product names, such as fontina, gorgonzola, parmesan, asiago, or feta. This is despite the fact that these terms are the common names for products produced in countries around the world.”

“USTR has accurately diagnosed the problem. Now the task before the U.S. is to take the necessary steps to effectively curb this scourge to U.S. food and agricultural producers,” said CCFN Executive Director Jaime Castaneda. “The EU’s GI policy is intentionally barring competition from a host of other suppliers that all simply seek a level playing field including small and medium-sized family-owned companies, farmer-owned cooperatives, producers in developing countries and other actors throughout the supply chain that bear the brunt of these harmful restrictions. The U.S. must build on past advances to pursue a more proactive and effective path to combating the misuse of GIs by establishing concrete market access protections for the use of widely used terms.”

“Last year over 170 members of Congress urged an expansion of the trade toolkit the U.S. deploys to deal with geographical indications that block the use of common food names,” said Jim Mulhern, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. “It’s time to put that into practice and secure affirmative protections for the key common terms on which U.S. cheesemakers and other food producers rely. We look forward to working closely with USTR to achieve those gains to keep doors around the world open to made-in-America products.”

“U.S. dairy farmers and processors are counting on the U.S. government to have their back and defend their rights to cultivate opportunities around the world,” said Krysta Harden, President and CEO of the U.S. Dairy Export Council. “Our industry produces great products here at home and then works hard to market them overseas. To be as successful as possible, however, they count on strong U.S. government support to head off and combat unfair trade barriers such as geographical indications that ban the use of generic cheese terms. We want to partner with USTR to help bring the right policy tools to bear to make headway on this thorny issue.”

CCFN filed extensive comments with USTR outlining GI-related developments, foreign governments’ roles in driving those policies and the impacts on U.S. farmers and food producers. NMPF and USDEC also submitted comments supporting CCFN’s global overview and the need for a more robust U.S. trade policy approach to tackling GI abuses.

U.S. Dairy Exports a Sustainable Success, USDEC’s Harden Says

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

A career devoted to agricultural sustainability – capped by a stint as the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture – has prepared new U.S. Dairy Export Council President and CEO Krysta Harden well for her new role. Dairy’s stewardship at home is a powerful message to boost sales abroad, she says – and that story is becoming ever-more-important to hear as dairy’s critics try to shape global agriculture.

“Our future is exciting,” she said. “I think we have great products. I think our farmers are the most productive in the world. They’re ready to meet the challenges of the world. And there’s a great demand for what we produce. And so we’ve got to be there, we’ve got to be in those markets, we’ve got to be building trust, building our reputation, building our image.”

The full podcast is here. You can also find the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts. Broadcast outlets may use the MP3 file below. Please attribute information to NMPF.

Dairy Farmers to Seek Emergency USDA Hearing on Class I Mover Reform

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Milk Producers Federation’s Board of Directors voted today to request an emergency USDA hearing on a Federal Milk Marketing Order proposal to restore fairness for farmers in the Class I fluid milk price mover. The endorsement of the board, which represents dairy farmers and cooperatives nationwide, follows approval from the organization’s Executive Committee last week.

The NMPF plan would ensure that farmers recover lost revenue and establish more equitable distribution of risk among dairy farmers and processors. The current mover was adopted in the 2018 farm bill and intended to be revenue neutral while facilitating increased price risk management by fluid milk bottlers. But the new Class I mover contributed to disorderly marketing conditions last year during the height of the pandemic and cost dairy farmers over $725 million in lost income. NMPF’s proposal would help recoup the lost revenue and ensure that neither farmers nor processors are disproportionately harmed by future significant price disruptions.

“As the COVID-19 experience has shown, market stresses can shift the mover in ways that affect dairy farmers much more than processors. This was not the intent of the Class I mover formula negotiated within the industry,” said Randy Mooney, the dairy farmer chairman of NMPF’s Board of Directors. “The current mover was explicitly developed to be a revenue-neutral solution to the concerns of fluid milk processors about hedging their price risk, with equity among market participants a stated goal.

“Dairy farmers were pleased with the previous method of determining Class I prices and had no need to change it, but we tried to accommodate the concerns of fluid processors for better risk management. Unfortunately, the severe imbalances we’ve seen in the past year plainly show that a modified approach is necessary. We will urge USDA to adopt our plan to restore equity and create more orderly marketing conditions,” Mooney said.

While the current Class I mover was designed to improve the ability of fluid milk handlers to hedge milk prices using the futures market, it was also expected to be revenue-neutral compared to the formula it replaced. But that has not been the case. The significant gaps between Class III and IV prices that developed during the pandemic exposed dairy farmers to losses that were not experienced by processors, showing the need for a formula that better accounts for disorderly market conditions.

NMPF’s proposal would modify the current Class I mover, which adds $0.74/cwt to the monthly average of Classes III and IV, by adjusting this amount every two years based on conditions over the prior 24 months, with the current mover remaining the floor. NMPF’s request will be to limit the hearing specifically to proposed changes to the mover, after which USDA would have 30 days to issue an action plan that would determine whether USDA would act on an emergency basis​.

NMPF Supports Labeling Integrity Through DAIRY PRIDE Act

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) commended Representatives Peter Welch (D-VT) and Mike Simpson (R-ID) and Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and James Risch (R-ID) today for reintroducing the DAIRY PRIDE Act, a bill that would bring clear, accurate labeling information for consumers and end harmful mislabeling of dairy foods by peddlers of plant-based products. The legislation requires the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to enforce its own existing standards of identity on imitation dairy products after decades of inaction.

The DAIRY PRIDE Act directs FDA to follow its own rules and establish an agency approach for enforcement of existing dairy standards of identity.

“NMPF thanks Representatives Welch and Simpson and Senators Baldwin and Risch for reintroducing the bipartisan DAIRY PRIDE Act in both the House and Senate, yet one more example of their ongoing leadership working to ensure FDA does its job,” said Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO. “FDA is responsible for the integrity and safety of our nation’s food, medicine, and medical devices, and it’s crucial that it enforce its own standards and requirements. Without enforcement, we are left open to the potential for questionable products, deceptive practices, and, in cases such as mislabeled plant-based products that masquerade as having nutritional benefits similar to dairy’s, negative effects to our health.”

Standards of identity legally define what constitutes a specific food or food product, requiring the food product to carry certain qualities. When enforced, these legal standards protect consumers by helping to ensure the integrity of their food. Standards also create a common understanding of what a food product is, helping consumers make informed choices.

FDA’s lack of enforcement of dairy standards of identity has led to consumer misunderstanding of the nutrients – or lack thereof – in imitation dairy products. An IPSOS survey conducted in 2018, for example, found that 73% of consumers surveyed believe that almond-based beverages have as much or more protein per serving than milk. In reality, milk has up to eight times as much protein. A follow-up survey found that roughly 50 percent of consumers mistakenly believe that the main ingredient in a plant-based beverage is the plant itself. Such drinks are actually mostly flavored water.

Medical groups including the American Academy of Pediatrics are voicing concerns over the harm this confusion is having on public health as misinformed consumers unintentionally choose less nutritious products for themselves and their families.

Congress has also shown a growing concern for FDA’s failure to enforce. In early 2020, the House held a hearing on the agency’s lack of enforcement. Then late last year Congress included in the report accompanying the FDA funding bill for FY 2021 a statement of concern and directive to FDA regarding enforcing dairy standards of identity.

“The reintroduction of the DAIRY PRIDE Act helps NMPF and consumers continue to move forward toward solving this critical public health and fairness issue,” Mulhern said.

More on NMPF’s efforts on this issue, including survey data and statements from medical professionals, can be found here.

Farmer Focus: 13th Generation. Massachusetts Farmers Rely on Sustainability and Community for Dairy’s Longevity

Posted on by Alan Bjerga

ARLINGTON, VA – Darryl and Lucinda Williams operate the Belden dairy farm in Hatfield, MA. Their family has been farming the land since 1661. Over the course of 360 years and 13 generations, much has changed – from the development of electric power to the innovation of methane digesters, one of which now produces 2.5 kilowatts of electricity per year on the Williamses’ farm. What has stayed the same is the family’s dedication to their community and stewardship of the land.

“We can’t be expected to continue to work with 1940s, ‘50s, ‘60s technology – just like we’ve got our cell phones and no longer use the old rotary that we had,” Lucinda says. “We can’t continue to thrive as an industry without moving into the new world.”

In the latest Farmer Focus, the Williamses talk about how they use their digester on a smaller farm and what it takes to keep a long family tradition intact.

For more Farmer Focus stories, co-sponsored by NMPF and the FARM Program, check out NMPF’s Sharing Our Story page, which also includes its Dairy Defined thought-leadership series and CEO’s Corner, a monthly column from NMPF President and CEO Jim Mulhern.

NMPF Lauds Progress on Bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act, Welcomes Conservation Proposals

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

The National Milk Producers Federation today applauded bipartisan work that’s being done on legislation that would bolster the many conservation and environmental efforts dairy producers are leading as they continue their everyday stewardship of air, land, and water resources.

This week, Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) reintroduced their bipartisan Growing Climate Solutions Act. This important legislation creates a USDA certification program that would permit the Department to informally endorse technical service providers that can help farmers implement environmental stewardship practices that may generate carbon credits. The legislation, if passed, would be invaluable for dairy farmers seeking to achieve the sector’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality or better by 2050 through dairy’s Net Zero Initiative.

“We commend Chairwoman Stabenow and Senator Braun for continuing their bipartisan leadership on the Growing Climate Solutions Act, which would encourage greater farmer participation in environmental markets,” said Jim Mulhern, president and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation. “This legislation will enhance the proactive, sustainable initiatives dairy farmers are expanding as our sector strives to achieve carbon neutrality.”

The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee held a hearing on the Growing Climate Solutions Act last June. NMPF submitted written testimony in support of the measure on behalf of Mulhern and Environmental Issues Committee Chair Mike McCloskey.

NMPF additionally commended the efforts of House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA), who last Friday put forward several measures to adapt farm bill conservation programs to help address climate change by: allowing private sector funding to meet conservation program demand; emphasizing soil health and increasing funding for Conservation Innovation Trials; and incentivizing the adoption of precision agriculture systems.

“We thank Ranking Member Thompson for furthering the conversation on climate and sustainability by putting forward several proposals for discussion,” said Mulhern. “We agree that farm bill conservation programs can be vital to helping producers reduce their environmental footprint, and we look forward to more closely examining this suite of legislation and other proposals that may be introduced in the coming weeks.”

Earth Day Highlights Dairy’s Everyday Leadership

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Earth Day is just a few days away. And while it’s nice to have a day set aside to remember how everyone needs to care for, protect and, in some cases, restore our planet, please forgive dairy farmers if you don’t see much of a pause on Thursday.

That’s in part because dairy never stops. Dairy farmers produce a perishable product harvested around the clock, every day of the year. It’s also because dairy’s leadership in sustainable agriculture also happens every day. Promoting soil health, optimizing water use, improving water quality, and more, ensures dairy farmers can keep farming for generations to come.

Dairy farming is an inherently renewable cycle. Cows eat crops and byproducts that humans can’t digest. They produce milk that nourishes people. And their manure provides nutrients to grow crops, which starts the cycle again. Dairy-farm livelihoods depend on healthy, vibrant ecosystems – and well-operated dairies of any size, in any region, enhance the ecosystems that surround them.

This is becoming even more true thanks to continued improvements in farming practices, as methods and technologies evolve and science better understands what works best. Dairy farms nationwide are adopting conservation tillage, diversifying their crop rotations, and cultivating cover crops to improve soil health. They’re adding precision feed management that improves cow health and achieves production efficiencies. And they’re innovating with manure management technologies that produce energy and reduce impacts on air and water quality.

All this, and more, helped reduce the amount of water required to produce a gallon of milk in 2017 by 30 percent compared to a decade earlier. That gallon also required 21 percent less land and a 19 percent smaller carbon footprint over the same period. That’s equivalent to the amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by half a million acres of U.S. forest, or eliminating the average water consumption of approximately 29 million U.S. households. Since 2005, North America, where U.S. production dominates, has been the only region in the world that’s increased milk production while also reducing absolute emissions, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

On-farm sustainability reverberates across the dairy supply chain, forging a path toward ambitious industrywide goals.

  • The Net Zero Initiative, launched last year by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, will help U.S. dairy farms of all sizes and geographies implement new technologies and adopt economically viable practices in feed production, cow care, energy efficiency and manure management, making progress toward greenhouse-gas emission reductions and improving water quality and quantity as well as farmer livelihoods.
  • In tandem, the U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment is a social responsibility pledge through which the U.S. dairy community demonstrates progress in areas including animal care, environmental stewardship, food safety and traceability, and contributions to communities. As of last December, 32 dairy companies representing 74 percent of the nation’s milk production voluntarily adopted the commitment, contributing to U.S. dairy’s ability to track, aggregate and report on progress.

Key to that tracking: The National Dairy FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) Program, which launched FARM Environmental Stewardship in 2017. This program provides dairy farmers, their cooperatives, and processors with a streamlined, single source for conducting voluntary on-farm environmental assessments and communicating progress. Today, 78 percent of the domestic U.S. milk supply comes from dairy cooperatives and processors who participate in the program.

Despite differences in geography, technology, and management style, dairy farmers are unified by a core concept: care for the planet that sustains them and their customers. In tangible, measurable ways, dairy farmers have much to celebrate on Earth Day.

Just don’t expect them to take a lot of time commemorating. There’s too much leading to do.

NMPF’s Bjerga on Food Box, Vaccinations, and Butter’s Bright Future

Posted on by Alan Bjerga

NMPF Senior Vice President of Communications Alan Bjerga discusses the rise and fall of the Farmers to Families Food Box program and the potential for improved food-assistance programs, along with the need for stepped-up rural COVID vaccinations and how the pandemic could brighten the long-term outlook for butter. Discussion on WEKZ radio, Janesville, Wisconsin.

COVID-19 Vaccination & the Dairy Workforce

Posted on by Theresa Sweeney

Dairy farmers and their cooperatives are an important part of a nationwide effort to promote vaccine confidence. This resource, adapted from the Health Action Alliance’s Small Business Guide to COVID-19 Vaccines and CDC’s Essential Workers COVID-19 Vaccine Toolkit, will help you communicate with employees about the safety and benefits of COVID-19 vaccines and help employees get vaccinated. A healthy dairy workforce is essential to ensuring continuity of operations and a safe, plentiful food supply.

Communicating with Employees

Employees need to know the benefits and safety of COVID-19 vaccines. The information below will help you share clear, accurate information to educate employees about COVID-19 vaccines and raise awareness about the benefits of vaccination.

Key Messages:

  • COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Available COVID-19 vaccines have met the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s rigorous scientific standards and are safe and effective.
  • Get vaccinated at your earliest opportunity. Although the vaccine supply remains limited, public health officials are working toward making vaccines widely available for everyone in the U.S. at no cost. Visit your state’s COVID-19 landing page to determine eligibility status.
  • It is okay to have questions. Share trusted information with employees so they can make informed decisions about vaccines. If you have questions, talk to a doctor or healthcare provider.

Options for Dairy Farmers:

Helping Employees Get Vaccinated

Once an employee has decided to get vaccinated, employers can help by removing barriers that may prevent them from doing so and by offering modest incentives to encourage vaccination. Below are some possible ways to support employees.

  • Help identify when and where workers can get vaccinated when it is their turn. The CDC has co-developed a VaccineFinder that can help you locate a vaccine site near you.
  • Offer internet access or language support services to help employees and workers schedule appointments.
  • Relieve any concerns about costs for vaccines. The federal government is providing vaccines free of charge to all people living in the U.S.
  • Provide paid time off to employees who get vaccinated. Many employers are offering between 4-6 paid hours for each dose of a vaccine an employee receives.
  • Provide transportation to and from vaccine appointments.
  • Partner with a local public health department or other providers to offer on-site vaccinations to employees.
  • Consider providing small prizes, rewards or other modest financial incentives to employees who get vaccinated.

Other Resources